Russian language coordinator Elena Ermilova (centre) conducts her Russian Language class using multimedia materials. NTU is the only university in Singapore to offer the Russian language as a module, with Swedish and Latin
set to be offered next semester. This will bring the total number of language electives to 16.
PHOTO: SHABANA BEGUM

Russian is the latest
language offered by NTU;
Swedish and Latin to be
rolled out next semester

Two new languages — Swedish
and Latin — will also be offered
next semester, bringing the total
number of language electives to 16.
The centre is also considering introducing Cantonese in the future.

Shabana Begum

Globalised world
CML lecturer Patricia Lorenz said
expanding CML’s language options
allows them to accommodate students’ demand for more languages,
as well as their desire to stay relevant in a globalised world.
Forty students were enrolled in
the inaugural Russian class this
semester, conducted by Ms Elena
Ermilova. Ms Ermilova hails from
Moscow and is the only Russian
lecturer at NTU.
For final-year School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS)
student Shimma Abdul Rahim, the
desire to read her favourite Russian text in its original language
spurred her to take up the elective.
“I did my Final Year Project on
‘The Master and Margarita’ by Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov,” said
Shimma, 27, who was introduced
to Russian literature two years ago
when she took HSS modules on European and Modernist Literature.

THEY are an energetic bunch, guffawing at their peers’ mispronunciations and cheering for those who
correctly translate Russian phrases
to English.
Whenever a student mispronounces a crucial word, the language coordinator asks the class to
repeat it. The students more than
gladly oblige.
This is the typical atmosphere of
a Russian Language class here, the
latest language elective offered by
the Centre for Modern Languages
(CML) this semester.
The University decided to offer
Russian after it came up tops in a
CML survey of 500 students, who
were asked which languages they
would most like to study.
NTU is the only university in
Singapore to offer the Russian language as a module.

Despite their strong interest, students whom the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to said learning Russian
was no walk in the park.

Russian vocabulary.”
Jiang said knowing the language
would also help her during her solo
trip to Russia after graduation.

Difficult language
Fourth-year Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering student Carrie
Jiang, 23, who had taken French
Level 1, said: “Some French words
are somewhat similar to English,
but Russian words are longer and
different from English, except for
borrowed words. So we remembered the words by memorising.”
Students also found learning the
Cyrillic alphabets, which contain
English letters but have different
phonetic sounds, and differentiating between the vocal stress patterns, very challenging.
To help students master the language, Ms Ermilova conducts her
classes using role-playing activities and multimedia materials that
require students to work together.
“The role-playing tasks were
beneficial because it helped me
recognise which phrases to use in
certain situations,” said Shimma.
Jiang also said: “Through the
Russian cartoons Ms Ermilova
showed us, we learnt to memorise

Future relevance
Russian language elective students
are also able to attend lectures by
prominent figures from the local
Russian community.
Last March, the Russian ambassador to Singapore, Mr Andrey
Tatarinov, was invited down to the
University for a talk.
CML also plans to invite industry
experts from Russian companies
in Singapore to speak to students
next semester, said Ms Ermilova.
“We want students to stay in
touch with Russian culture and
keep them informed about the happenings in the local Russian community, and the opportunities open
to those who are learning Russian
as a foreign language,” Ms Ermilova added.
With increasing opportunities for
Singaporean companies to conduct
business in Russia, many students
believe that learning the language
will help them be more prepared
for the future.
In May last year, Prime Minister

Lee Hsien Loong told the media after a four-day work visit to Russia
that trade between Singapore and
Russia has been growing rapidly
over the past decade.
The two nations established diplomatic relations in 1968.
But Mr Lee said there was a need
to overcome existing language barriers in order to better understand
Russia’s business landscape and
governmental operations.
Standing out
“I may come across a Russian businessman someday,” said final-year
School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering student Seah Xiang
Yu, 26. “When that happens, I hope
to apply the language and culture
I’ve learnt here.”
Drawn to the prospect of mastering a unique language, third-year
HSS student, Anthea Tan, 23, is
considering taking up the Russian
module next semester.
“It’s a language that hasn’t been
explored much in Asia and Singapore, which makes it appealing,”
Tan said.
“You might not be able to find
many who speak Russian here, and
you can be the exception.”

VOL.
NO.

23

THE NANYANG

NEWS

09 CHRONICLE

High rent at North Spine Plaza
leaves stores high and dry

03

Tenants in the North
Spine Plaza struggle with
high monthly rental and
poor business during the
holidays
Wong Jinghui
Eleanor Tay
A COMBINATION of high rental
and poor business during the semester holidays is threatening to
put some stores in the North Spine
Plaza out of business.
Some tenants have complained
of the high monthly rent — ranging
from $3,000 to $10,000 a month
— at the University’s North Spine
Plaza, and the fall in foot traffic
during the semester break.
As part of the newly revamped
North Spine, the North Spine Plaza
was touted as a lifestyle hub when
it first opened in late 2015, offering
24 food and retail options over two
floors. Food and beverage outlets
and retail outlets occupy the lower
floor, while communal study spaces
are located on the upper floor.
However, things have slowed
down since its opening.
Currently four store spaces in
North Spine Plaza are empty, with
convenience store Buzz closing last
January. Bakery Temptations shut
in June last year reportedly due to
poor business, with no new tenant
taking its place yet.
Rental woes
The head chef and restaurant manager of Mia Pizza & Pasta Express,
who only wanted to be known
as Mr Khairul, said his restaurant could not make a substantial
profit with its high monthly rent of
$10,000, coupled with labour and
utility bills.
“If I take the average sales of
around $1,500 on a normal day,
in a month, my profits are just
enough for my costs. So basically,
I’m not earning anything.”
Earnings can go down to around
$500 a day during the semester
break, added Mr. Khairul.
“Business during the holidays
is totally not enough to cover the
rent. While we can still break even
for the entire year, we have to push
harder for business and pray to God
that there’s more people around.”
His sentiments were echoed by
Mr Edwin Chan, managing director of the takeaway food kiosk, The
Sandwich Guys. Mr Chan called for
a slash in monthly rental during
the semester break.
“During the holidays, more than
half of the population is gone. If
the rate drops accordingly, we will
be more profitable because we will
be able to have longer opening
hours and lower our prices,” said

Convenience store Buzz (right) has been closed since last January. Beside it stands hair salon K-Cuts (left), which has tried requesting for a slash in rent during the holidays.
PHOTO: ZHENG JUNCEN

Despite only being around for a year, Mia Pizza & Pasta Express is struggling to keep its
head afloat due to high monthly rental and poor sales.
PHOTO: WONG JINGHUI

Although Temptations Bakery has been closed since June last year, no new tenant has
moved into its space yet.
PHOTO: ZHENG JUNCEN

Mr Chan.
His store typically sees 160 receipts a day during the semester,
but this drops to just 70 receipts a
day once semester break starts.
Ms Jessy Chan, an employee
of hair salon K-Cuts, said: “North
Spine Plaza is super quiet during
the long breaks. It was so quiet last
summer break that all we could do
was to sit and look at each other.”
“Since human traffic falls so
much during the holidays, why
shouldn’t the rent be cut? This
place will be empty in three years
with such high rent,” she added.

prematurely due to poor sales. The
store will shift out once a replacement tenant has been found.
“Even if business was normal, we
still couldn’t earn enough to pay
the monthly rent,” said Ms Fardiana, adding that sales would drop
by 80 per cent during the semester
break. It cost an estimated $20,000
to operate the outlet every month,
she said.
In response to queries from The
Nanyang Chronicle, Chief Housing
& Auxiliary Services Officer Jimmy
Lee said: “Although contractual details cannot be disclosed for confidentiality reasons, rental rates are
on par with those of other education institutions.
"Potential tenants are informed
of the University’s annual vacation
periods beforehand, and would
have taken this into consideration
in their tender bids.”
Mr Lee added that the Housing
and Auxiliary Services Office is
currently working to find new ten-

Unsuccessful efforts
Some tenants say efforts to negotiate with the University have been
unsuccessful.
Ms Chan said her employer’s request to slash the rent during the
holidays was turned down, while
Mr Khairul said his attempts at approaching the school’s leasing office were fruitless.

He added: “Sorry to say but they
didn’t put in any effort in addressing the concerns we gave. The least
they could do was to send an email
on our behalf, but they just said
they couldn’t help us.”
With two more years to go on
their contracts with NTU, both Mr
Khairul of Mia Pizza & Pasta Express, as well as Mr Chan of The
Sandwich Guys, said they were uncertain if they would stay on after
their contracts expired.
Mr Chan said: “We’ll try our best
but it depends on whether our business can be sustained. If we continue the contract, we are locking
ourselves out.”
Biting the dust
As some tenants contemplate their
future in North Spine Plaza, others
like donut chain Dunkin’ Donuts
have bitten the dust.
Ms Fardiana Mohd Ali, senior
outlet manager of Dunkin’ Donuts,
said they have ended their contract

ants to enhance the North Spine
Plaza’s retail mix.
More variety, more services
Students interviewed by the Chronicle expressed a desire for a greater
variety of stores in the Plaza.
Some
suggestions
included
bringing in a bookstore — as the
nearest one is located at South
Spine — and popular Japanese food
franchise Maki-San.
Fourth-year School of Computer
Science and Engineering student
Samuel Lee felt that the North
Spine Plaza could offer more distinct services, instead of adding
more food and beverage outlets.
The 25-year-old said: “We already have a lot of choices for
food, so I don’t think adding more
food outlets is needed.
"Maybe the Buzz convenience
store can be replaced by a convenience store that actually opens 24
hours a day. This would benefit the
halls nearby.”

04

NEWS

THE NANYANG

VOL.
NO.

23

CHRONICLE 09

Oversupply in university graduates not a
threat but an opportunity: Minister Chan
Students should not
fear the oversupply of
degree holders locally,
but adapt and compete
internationally
Lim Woei Lin

SINGAPORE is seeing an increasing
number of university degree holders, but current students should see
this as an opportunity rather than
a threat, said Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing.
“Getting employed is not about
your degree," Mr Chan said. “It’s
about how hungry you are."
He was responding to a question
posed by a second-year School of
Electrical and Electronic Engineering student during the NTU Ministerial Forum last month.
During the forum's questionand-answer segment, the student
expressed concern about the possible oversupply of university graduates in Singapore.
Mr Chan estimated that one in
every two millenials in Singapore
holds a university degree. But he
cautioned students that having a
degree does not guarantee success.
“Don’t think that by completing university education, you have
finished the race and won, because
you have to compete on an international basis,” he said.
He also challenged students to
continually stretch their limits of
learning — instead of only concentrating on paper qualifications —
and to avoid complacency.
“A country’s competitiveness is
not reliant on a few, but on everyone," Mr Chan said. “We should
aim to compete as Team Singapore
and be globally competitive, not
locally competitive.”
Some 400 students and faculty
members attended the forum held
on 5 April.
The forum's theme this year was
“Advancing Our Competitiveness in
the New Economy”.
Public service
Other questions brought up by students ranged from the definition
of public service, the importance
of humanities and social sciences,
to the trend of protectionism embraced by many countries.
Mr Chan said public service is the
antidote to the potential social divisions caused by the new economy.
“Public service is about keeping
Singapore together, growing as
one," he said. “It is my duty to give

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing talks about the challenges and opportunities in the new economy, warning students not to be complacent during last month's
Ministerial Forum.
PHOTO: VALERIE LAY

“Getting employed is
not about your degree.
It’s about how hungry
you are. Don’t think that
by completing university
education, you have
finished the race and
won, because you
have to compete on an
international basis.”
Chan Chun Sing
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office

back to the community to ensure
that future generations will be able
to have opportunities.”
He also said protectionism was
not viable for the nation, citing
Singapore’s reliance on the world.
“Our market is insufficient for
our survival, so we do not have the
option of taking the short-term,
easy way out by isolating ourselves,” he said.
Mr Chan addressed concerns on
the role of humanities and social
sciences by saying students need to

go beyond one’s academic syllabus.
He said: “Regardless of subject
discipline, the ability to think about
the world around you is essential.”
Interactive forum
Students interviewed by the Nanyang Chronicle after the forum said
they enjoyed the dialogue.
“The Minister was very genuine,"
said Marcus Sng, 24, a second-year
School of Chemical and Biomedical
Engineering student. “The interaction he had with the audience made
the atmosphere very relaxed.”
“I thought that it was bold to allow so much interaction between
himself and the audience, since it
creates much uncertainty for him,”
Sng added.
Grace Foo, a second-year School
of Humanities and Social Sciences
student, found the responses by Mr
Chan insightful.
“While they were not completely
new ideas, they were a reminder
that we need to go out to do something in order to be competitive,”
the 21-year-old said.
Mr Chan kicked off the forum
with an interactive poll on questions ranging from Singapore’s attractiveness to investors, to what

students could do differently to
increase their adaptability.
Audience members participated
by providing short answers online.
Answers were flashed on the
auditorium’s screen in the form of
word clouds.
Mr Chan then structured his talk
based on the responses given.
When Mr Chan asked about
what makes Singapore attractive to
investors, the dominant responses
were “safety” and “security”.
These answers reflected a conservative mindset, said Mr Chan.
“If these were the only answers,
Singapore will win hands-down on
getting investments,” he said.
Instead, he encouraged the audience to think beyond these factors.
“Technology is neutral. Whoever
can use technology to complement
them better and evolve their business model wins. The same technology, if not well-applied, will
cause us to be fearful of our jobs,
because now someone might steal
our lunch over the Internet."
But if we master it, we can take
other people’s lunch.”
Adaptability and awareness
Most students polled during the

dialogue cited “adaptability” as the
most important skill they would
take away from NTU.
But Mr Chan encouraged students to adopt the 4As — Awareness, Analysis, Anticipation and
Adaptation — to stay competitive.
Singapore undergraduates are
sought-after and highly skilled but
they may be overtaken if they do
not keep pace, he said, warning
students against complacency.
Giving back
During his hour-long talk, Mr Chan
also emphasised the need to give
back to the community to ensure
Singapore's continual growth.
“Success is not due to individual
effort, but also enabled by family
and society,” he said.
“It is our responsibility to reach
out and take care of those who are
less successful as we move on, no
matter how fast or far we run.”
Expressing his confidence in the
younger generation, Mr Chan said:
“Singapore will be successful if you
lend your shoulders for the next
generation to stand taller and see
further. You have the basic ingredients for SG100, to be successful
as an individual and as a nation.”

VOL.
NO.

23

NEWS 05

THE NANYANG

09 CHRONICLE

Bringing learning to halls on campus
The Residential Education
Programme will be
implemented for every
hall by 2019, allowing
students to participate
in enrichment classes,
seminars and workshops
at their doorstep
Lim Woei Lin
SOON, all students staying on campus will have access to free enrichment classes and workshops without leaving their halls.
Through the Residential Education (RE) Programme, all halls will
have extra-curricular programmes
that allow students to learn even
beyond the classroom.
“They (residents) spend most of
their time here, so it would be a
waste if we do not give them the
chance to learn and develop holistic skills," said Associate Professor Valerie Du Toit-Low, who was
appointed last year as NTU’s first
Deputy Associate Provost (Residential Education).
The programme first started at
Crescent and Pioneer halls in 2014.
It was implemented at the North
Hill and Yunnan halls at the start

Residents participate in a baking workshop under the Residential Education Programme in the Crescent and Pioneer cluster.
PHOTO: CRESCENT AND PIONEER HALLS

of this semester, and Halls 8 to 11
last March.
Halls are free to develop their
own RE programme curriculum.
For instance, the Crescent and Pioneer clusters offer workshops on
electronic and mechanical invention, arts, and food experience,
which includes coming up with
recipes and beverages.

Three new workshops on dance,
food culture, and pottery will be introduced in the North Hill and Yunnan halls next semester.
“More than half of our undergraduate population reside in
halls," Assoc Prof Toit-Low said.
“As part of the NTU 2020 Strategic Plan, the school decided to do
something different for the halls so

that the students can benefit from
their stay.”
About 200 students participate
in the various workshops organised
at Crescent and Pioneer halls each
academic year, according to Dr Sze
Chun Chau, Senior Faculty in Residence for Pioneer Hall.
Students can participate in individual workshops or work on

longer projects.
Hall residents can also join RE
programmes from other halls,
though priority will be given to
residents staying within the cluster.
Facilities like fully furnished
kitchens and dance studios are also
being built within some halls.
Feedback on the RE programme
from residents has been largely
positive so far.
Hall 1 resident Hu Guoyu attended a theatre workshop at Tanjong
Hall last March, where he learnt
about the history and the concept
of abstraction.
“These programmes are good opportunities to enrich our residential
life," said Hu, a second-year student at the School of Materials Science & Engineering.
The 20-year-old also signed up
for a fitness class and financial literacy workshop.
“Compared to taking a course,
these workshops, which consist of
only a few sessions and introducing basics of a topic, are easier to
fit into our schedules,” Hu said.
Pioneer hall resident Sheryl Yeo,
23, said such programmes also give
her more opportunities to network
with like-minded individuals.
“It’s usually a hi-bye relationship for those staying in hall. The
workshops allow me to meet other
undergraduates I wouldn't have
known otherwise,” she said.

ADM streamlines curricula into 2 tracks
Incoming ADM students
will choose from two
general degrees instead of
six specialised ones
Eleanor Tay

THE School of Art, Design and
Media (ADM) will offer only two
Bachelor of Fine Arts programmes
starting August.
ADM currently offers six Bachelor of Fine Arts programmes in
Animation, Film-making, Photography, Interactive Media, Product
Design and Visual Communication.
But starting next academic year,
these six programmes will be
merged into only two programmes:
Design Art and Media Art.
The decision to streamline its existing programmes into two new,
multi-disciplinary tracks was made
after the school consulted leading
media and design companies in
Singapore, as well as overseas.
The Design Art degree will be
a combination of three current

ADM will be streamlining its current six programmes into two new, multi-disciplinary programmes to give students more flexibility in choosing subjects that suit their interests.
PHOTO: VALERIE LAY

programmes: Interactive Media,
Product Design and Visual Communication. The Media Art degree
will combine existing specialisations in Digital Animation, Digital
Filmmaking, and Photography and
Digital Imaging.
“Students need to have multifaceted skills and inter-disciplinary
knowledge to be of increasing value and relevance to employers and

meet the challenges and demands
of tomorrow," Professor Kam Chan
Hin, NTU’s Deputy Provost for Education, said in a press release.
“The consolidation of NTU’s
Bachelor of Fine Arts offerings
into two distinct programmes is
designed to better equip students
with those competencies, and also
let them have more freedom to tailor their learning to match their in-

terests and career aspirations.”
Currently, ADM students have to
complete all prescribed electives in
their chosen major.
Under the new programme, students can choose up to two electives from the other departments of
the School of Humanities, Arts and
Social Sciences (HASS) to fulfill
some of their prescribed electives.
Prospective and current ADM
students interviewed by the Nanyang Chronicle welcomed the revised curricula, which is more inter-disciplinary in approach.
“It’s great for people who are
undecided on their majors. Some
of my friends would rather have
majors combined than having to
specialise so early,” said first-year
ADM student Lim Ling Ern, 20.
Incoming freshman Dominique
Chan, 22, also said: “Deciding on
my major will be much easier and
a general degree would give my
portfolio more variety and add
value to my work.”
The change comes after the University announced that the existing
HASS would be restructured into
two separate schools — the School
of Humanities and the School of

Social Sciences — also in August
this year.
However, others such as exchange student Claire Thomas were
not as enthusiastic.
She said: “I think it’s a bit worse
because you cannot clearly choose
what you want to focus on and
have to go really general, which
means sometimes people can’t really get what they want.”
However, other students also welcomed the introduction of a compulsory 10-week internship stint as
part of the curriculum tweak.
“To do anything in the art industry, you need a portfolio and an
internship allows your future employers to see your style and capabilities so it’s definitely important,”
said Emma Tan, 20, a first-year student in ADM.
The revamp will also include a
new module where practicing artists and designers will be invited to
give talks and share their insights.
“I’m excited to hear professionals share their success stories. Although I don’t think their practical
tips will suit everyone, but their
stories of personal growth will definitely inspire,” said Chan.

06-07 NEWS

Alumni, current students and staff alike enjoy an evening of relaxation at the annual get-together, titled WeeHangout, at the Mandarin Oriental hotel on 21 April.

WKWSCI looks forward as it celeb
WKWSCI celebrates its
silver jubilee this year —
and reflects on how it can
continue preparing students for a rapidly changing media industry
Shabana Begum

THE Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) is celebrating its glorious
past by focusing on the future.
As the school celebrates its 25th
anniversary this year, faculty members reflect on how they can prepare students for a rapidly evolving
media industry.
“We need to maintain an innovative mindset, constantly looking for new ways to prepare our
students for emerging occupations
flowing from the digital economy,”
said Prof Charles Salmon, Chair of
WKWSCI.
“We need to make sure that we
not only equip our students with
skills for the current job market,
but also for the job market five to
10 years from now,” Prof Salmon
also said.
Doing well
The school kicked off its silver jubilee celebration with a gathering on
21 April at the Mandarin Oriental
Hotel attended by about 400 alumni and final-year students, who had
just finished defending their final-

year projects.
Founded in 1992, the WKWSCI
has steadily rose in world rankings, placing first in Asia and sixth
in the world for media communication studies in the 2014 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
“We have done well,” said
Emeritus Professor Eddie Kuo, the
school’s founding Dean. “I personally have no doubt that we are
top in Asia and we have started to
shine globally.”
But the school also recognises
the challenges posed by the changing media and information landscape and is working on keeping its
curriculum up to date.
Up to date
The Communication Studies curriculum is updated every three to four
years to keep up with changes in
the economy, said Assoc Prof Lee
Chun Wah, the school’s first head
of the division of public and promotional communication.
For example, starting last semester, freshmen are required to take
two core modules on basic coding
and data analysis.
Employers have told the school
that they are looking for graduates
who have both traditional storytelling skills and new media skills,
such as coding, said Dr Mark Cenite, Associate Chair of WKWSCI.
“The organisations are desperate
for people who can analyse social
media data,” he explained. “Requiring courses in which students are
introduced to coding and analytics
became the clear path forward.”

Students at the school can also
take electives on information visualisation, digital campaign management, data-mining and mobile
communications, with more new
courses already in the planning
stages, Prof Salmon said.

“Students must be nimble
and be able to combine
information across
different media types. The
more you have exposure
to a range of things, the
better off you are.”
Ms Nikki Draper
Senior lecturer at WKWSCI

Paradigm shift
Other faculty members also encouraged students to expand their
media skills beyond their individual tracks to remain relevant in the
digital economy.
Assoc Prof Lee said it has become
difficult to find a student who is
comprehensive and competent in
the fields of public relations, advertising and photography.
“Students tend to be microscopic,” he said. “If they are interested
in photojournalism or docudrama,
they place their focus onto it. It is
called specialty.”
“But these days, it is necessary to
be a specialist and a generalist at
the same time,” he said.
Ms Nikki Draper, a senior lecturer at the school, added: “Stu-

dents must be nimble and be able
to combine information across different media types. The more you
have exposure to a range of things,
the better off you are.”
To prepare students for the converged media landscape, the tracks
have become more flexible over the
years and students have more freedom to pursue modules from different tracks.
Longer internship
Assoc Prof Lee, who established
the school’s Professional Internship
scheme and the Final Year Project
(FYP) system, also believes the
curriculum needs to be revamped
for students and lecturers to stay
abreast of current developments in
the economy.
He suggested a longer internship
experience or work-study scheme
for undergraduates.
Assoc Prof Lee said the mandatory six-month internship for thirdyear students is “not real enough”
and should be extended to oneand-a-half to two years.
From the second half of their
second year to their fourth year,
students should be sent out to work
in media industries or related sectors, he added.
To fulfill their academic requirements, Assoc Prof Lee suggested
that students should submit reports
and online assignments to update
their professors.
“Instead of locking up the students in university for three years
or so, they should be sent out to
spend a considerable amount of
time in the industry, learning on

the job,” said Assoc Prof Lee.
This paradigm shift in the curriculum would make undergraduates’ internship experience more
realistic, and will position students
as economy-ready and job-ready,
he added.
Preparing faculty
But aside from preparing students,
Prof Salmon said the school also
needs to prepare its faculty in terms
of teaching, research and getting
grants. This will help the school to
reach its goal of “being an international leader in communication
and information scholarship”.
In its early years, the school
faced several challenges in hiring
faculty who were renowned for
their research.
Prof Kuo said that in the early
1990s, there were no locally trained
communication scholars. NTU had

FUN FACTS ABOUT WKWSC

1) The school has been named three times o
School of Communication Studies in 1992
School of Communication and Informatio
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication a

2) Before the school moved to its current loc

3) The school hosted the Asia Journalism Fel
Singapore to network with other reporters

4) Inspiration for The Hive’s collaborative tab

THE NANYANG

VOL.
NO.

23

CHRONICLE 09
what they say
“I’m very proud of the success of
our students and alumni, for their
professional accomplishments
have influenced communication
and information industries in
Singapore, Asia and the world.”
- Prof Charles Salmon, Chair of WKWSCI

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WEE KIM WEE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

brates silver jubilee
to rely on professors from abroad,
many of whom were reluctant in
moving to Singapore.
Prof Ang Peng Hwa, the school’s
second Dean, said to address this
issue, the school started hosting
numerous international conferences in Singapore.
These events helped convince international scholars that Singapore,
particularly WKWSCI, was a great
place to work in, said Assoc Prof
Benjamin Detenber, who was the
school’s Chair from 2008 to 2013.
The school encountered another
faculty recruitment challenge when
the University implemented the
promotion and tenure system in
2008. This meant faculty members
had to meet a much more rigorous
set of standards.
Faculty members were expected
to publish in top-tier journals and
possess significant research records

that are internationally recognised,
said Assoc Prof Detenber.
Endowed chairs
Despite these challenges, the school
hired its first full professor from
abroad, Prof Salmon, in 2011.
The school also hired two endowed chairs, one for communication studies and another for media
technology. It will announce the
hiring of its third endowed chair, a
media innovator from one of Asia’s
top corporations, later this year,
Prof Salmon added.
Funded by donations to the
University, the endowed chair is a
highly prestigious academic position meant to attract top international scholars.
Prof Salmon also stressed the
importance of research in further
developing the school.
“Success in research helps the

CI

over the years:
2
on in 2002
and Information in 2006

cation in 1996, it was housed in the Chinese Heritage Centre.

llowship (AJF) programme from 2009 to 2016. Journalists from Asia are invited to
s and reflect on their profession.

bles outside tutorial rooms were inspired by the benches in WKWSCI.

“I remember running around
school with my camera, trying
to make short films. In my final
year, I was part of the Going
Overseas for Advanced Reporting
team and I had a close-knit and
exciting FYP group. All these
experiences helped me decide
that photography and filmmaking
was what I wanted to do.”
- Mr Samuel He (CS’08), 34, director and co-founder of WEAVE,
a video and photography production house. He is also a
photojournalism lecturer at WKWSCI

school’s reputation globally and
brings cutting-edge knowledge
into our classrooms,” he added.
Engaging alumni
The school was originally called the
School of Communication Studies. But it was renamed in 1995 in
honor of the late former President
Dr Wee Kim Wee, who was also a
former journalist.
The school was first housed in
the Chinese Heritage Centre, until
it was moved to its own building
at the western edge of the campus
in 1996.
Since its founding, the school
has produced over 2,000 alumni
from 24 batches.
Prof Kuo considers the school’s
alumni as “very important resources” who can help fresh graduates in
their career development.
They can mentor current undergraduates and contribute to the
school’s endowment fund.
Prof Salmon also stressed the importance of the school’s alumni as
WKWSCI moves forward.
“We want to find more ways to
help our alumni navigate through
the disruptive media landscape and
find new opportunities for success
in their careers,” he said.
“We also want to find ways to
draw on the wisdom and experience of our alumni in ways that
can help our students and faculty
be on the frontiers of industry
change,” Prof Salmon added.
The school is already planning a
big alumni gathering later this year
as one of the highlights of its silver
jubilee celebration.

“The school has developed in
me an inquisitive mind, a sense
of curiosity of the world and
doggedness — values that are not
only important for a journalist, but
in life.”
- Pang Xue Qiang, 25, final-year student majoring in journalism

“The school has a strong culture
and spirit unlike any other, and
the people here are driven.”
- Nicole Lim, 21, second-year student and president of the 24th
Communication & Information Club

“My most memorable moment
in WKW was seeing my FYP
documentary being shown on
the big screen at Filament (the
school’s annual film showcase).”
- Ms Clarissa Sih (CS’16), 24, Manager (Communications) at
National Parks Board

08-09 SPOTLIGHT

#WeeAre

25

This year, the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) celebrates 25 years of meeting the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demand for well-trained
media and information professionals, coming a long way since its infant days in the 1990s as the School of Communication Studies.
Photo Editor Zheng Juncen sheds light on how the school has developed over the years.

AFTER

BEFORE

1

2

3

4

THE NANYANG

VOL.
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CHRONICLE 09

5

6
1 & 2: Student writers and editors of the Nanyang Chronicle had to write stories and edit pages using cathode ray tube monitors and Windows desktops back in 1999. Today, members of the team go through production nights
in the Newsplex using Apple iMac workstations to simulate working in an actual newsroom.
3 & 4: Broadcast students do their filming in the TV studio just like before, but with additional props and more advanced, updated equipment commonly used in the industry.
5 & 6: While the glass windows and colour scheme of blue and white are retained from 1996 when the school was known as the School of Communication Studies, there is now an added vibrancy with trees and plants flanking the carpark next to the building.
ARCHIVE PHOTOS COURTESY OF WEE KIM WEE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

10-11 DAPPER

THE RIGHT

T
I
F
N
O
I
H
S
FA

When we think about guys, we often seem to
neglect that men do face the same body image
insecurities as women. In this issue, we show you
all the tips and tricks to dressing slimmer while
still looking dapper.

Layer, layer, layer! This
simple technique adds
lines and dimensions
to your build, giving a
smart and polished look.
Do not be put off by the
humid weather â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you can
always opt for lightweight,
breathable materials.

TIP 2

Show off the slimmest part
of your body. For most
people, the limbs are
often the skinniest
and you can show
these off by folding
up sleeves and the
cuffs of your pants.

Choose stiff
materials, such
as denim and
chambray, that prop
up the shape of your body.
This is especially helpful for
men who may be conscious
about problematic areas, like
the chest or belly.

TIP 3

THE NANYANG

VOL.
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CHRONICLE 09

GET THE LOOK
Asos
One of the few trendy
e-tailers that has an
inclusive size range for
men. Its plus size range,
carries sizes ranging from
2XL to 6XL. Fit tends to
be on the larger side for
Asian builds.

to draw attention to
your outfit, distracting the
eye from the rest of your
body. If you are going for a
slimmer look, opt for larger
prints. Larger prints cover
wider portions of the body,
creating the illusion of a
smaller frame.

TIP 5
Dress for comfort and
choose the right fit of
clothes — neither too
baggy nor figurehugging. Plus-sized
men may consider slimfit pants over skinny-fit
ones. Baggy clothes will
add extra “weight”, making
you seem bulkier than you
actually are.

slim
TIP is6not Looking
all black and
boring. Do not shun away
from colours. Have fun
adding colours to your
innerwear when layering.

Uniqlo
The Japanese brand,
known for its basics and
minimalist wear, stocks
sizes up to XL in retail,
and up to 2XL on their
web-store. Its global
flagship store, located
at Orchard Central,
stocks the widest variety
of designs, including
exclusive Uniqlo T-shirt
(UT) designs.
Zara
The Spanish fast fashion
brand caters primarily
towards slimmer frames.
Its 2XL sizing for tops
are more fitting, ranging
between 112-117cm, and
pants size going up to
91cm.
Zalora
Asia’s largest e-commerce
platform, with over 500
brands to choose from,
has a good mix of western
brands such as River
Island, where the cutting
is generally larger.

TIP 7
Choose
T-shirts with
lower necklines
and shirts
with collars of a
shorter width. This extends
the neck visually.

12-13 GRAPHIC

FROM LEARNING
TO EARNING
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the time of the year when final-year students obtain their degrees and go out into the working
world. They have made the most out of school (hopefully), but how much are they likely to make
outside the university?
A 2016 survey by the Ministry of Education revealed the employment rates and average salaries of
over 5,000 NTU graduates, according to their respective degrees.
How does each major stack up against the rest?

Salaries shown are based on the average of the earnings of all graduates
from a specific course who are employed full-time.
eer
ing

There is no data for the following courses due to the small number of
graduates and/or low response rates: Aerospace Engineering and
Economics, Business and Computer Engineering, Materials Engineering
and Economics, Mechanical Engineering and Economics,
Public Policy and Global Affairs.

For more information:
http://bit.ly/2luedpn

Infographic by : Toby Tan Xun Yi

Lifestyle

ON THE ROAD ALONE

Solo travelling can be a hassle. But for these five NTU students, embracing the uncertainties of travelling alone was just part of the
adventure. Lifestyle writer Claudia Tan gets behind the solo travels to five separate continents, and picks up quick tips along the way.

Asia
Tip: “Be brave and ask for

All smiles at Lantau Peak
after a two-hour hike to see
the sunrise

help if you need, most people
tend to be more helpful than
you think.”
Ang Kai Lin, 22, ADM

S

he had foreseen getting lost, but 22-year-old Ang Kai
Lin never imagined her seven-day backpacking trip to
Hong Kong would include losing her wallet on day four
of her trip, along with HK$1000 (S$200), her debit card and
Octopus card — the Hong Kong equivalent of an ez-link card.
Kai Lin was left stranded at Victoria Harbour, midway between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. But thanks to HK$500
(S$100) she had stashed away in a spare pouch, she took
a cab back to her hostel. For dinner, she settled for a cup of
instant noodles. But that didn’t dampen her spirits since she
enjoyed most of the trip — on her second day, she woke at
5am to catch the sunrise at Lantau Peak. “I did get lost along
the way and only made it to the peak past sunrise, but the
view was still breathtaking.”

Kai Lin’s pick: A backup
wallet with extra cash — in
case you lose your first or it
gets stolen.

rica
e
m
A
h
t
u
o
S
Tip:

“Be flexible
with your dates if
you’re travelling longterm because you
meet people who recommend new places
to visit, or you’ll just
decide to stay longer
at a place because
you like it so much.”

Owen at the “End of the World” sign in the
southernmost city of the world, Ushuaia, Argentina

Owen Ter, 26, MAE

S

outh America has a reputation among travellers as a
dangerous place to visit. But that did not stop Owen Ter
from buying a one-way ticket there for his graduation trip
in late February this year. He had been to Brazil once in 2014
and promised he’d be back to fully explore the continent —
where he still is. “I got tired of the usual places like Asia and
Europe; South America is like a faraway land that is relatively
unknown to Singaporeans.” To prepare, the Mechanical Engineering student, who graduated last December, took Span-

ish classes in NTU and picked up Israeli Krav Maga for selfdefence. He planned his itinerary for his first stop in Rio de
Janeiro, but did the rest of his trip spontaneously, only reading
up on his next destination via travel blogs and TripAdvisor the
night before. With just a backpack, a week’s worth of clothing,
flip flops and hiking shoes, Owen has snorkeled with sea lions
in Argentina, and ridden horses in Chile. “If I have to wait for
someone to be as ready as I am, I will never live my dream of
visiting South America.”

Just one of the many highlights of Tammy’s solo
travel — paragliding at Interlaken, Switzerland

Europ
e
Tip: “When planning for a trip,
look out for interesting events
to attend that coincide with
your travelling so you don’t
miss out on the opportunity to
do something unique and fun.”
Tammy Tan, 22, HSS

M

eeting new people is part and parcel of travelling
alone, but it’s an added bonus when you bump
into YouTubers with 14 million subscribers. Tammy Tan was taking a tram ride from the Amsterdam RAI
convention centre back to her hostel when she bumped
into American YouTubers, The Fine Brothers, and ended
up chatting with them the rest of the way. It was just one
of the many perks from attending Vidcon 2017, an annual convention that gathers YouTubers worldwide. On
exchange in the UK, the third-year School of Humanities
and Social Sciences student had planned her solo trip for

ia
l
a
r
t
s
u
A

Tammy’s pick: Sunglasses — to
protect your eyes from the UV rays and
so you’ll always be photo-ready!

Hui En at the lighthouse of
her favourite beach, Cape
Byron, for a scenic view

the month-long Easter break in April. She found out about
Vidcon and made Amsterdam her first stop. Instead of
purchasing tickets, she decided to apply as a volunteer
— which brought her greater access and tons of freebies.
After the three-day convention, Tammy spent the rest of
the month touring nine cities in Switzerland, Austria and
Slovenia with a S$2500 budget. “It’s a lot more efficient
than travelling in a group as I get to see more in a short
period of time,” said Tammy. “I get to be responsible for
100 per cent of the planning.”

Tip: “If you’re looking to save

money, carpooling can be a
great option. Try coseats.com,
to find people to carpool with.”
Wong Hui En, 21, HSS

N

Hui En’s pick: Sunblock
— Don’t underestimate the
ever-present UV rays even
when there is no sun.

Bertrand’s pick: Cap — Shields you from
the sun and keeps your head warm in the
cold — or simply to cover up a bad hair day.

ot every solo itinerary is packed with activities. For
Wong Hui En, her week-long trip to Gold Coast, Australia was a chilled-out affair filled with beach-hopping — to rejuvenate and break away from the bustle of
university. Her favourite: Cape Byron, a vision of charcoal
coloured rocks surrounding the perimeters of the beach.
It is easy to distinguish between the more commercialised beaches and those less ventured, said Hui En.
Unlike beaches more popular with tourists, like Surfer’s
Paradise Beach, the crowd at Cape Byron consists mostly
of families taking morning hikes up the lighthouse, pro
surfers hanging outside their caravans, and buskers and
yogis peppered around the area — perfect for peoplewatching, she added. “Many times, I was just perched on
a rock with a book on my lap, or a GoPro to document the
moments.” She splurged on food but saved on accommodation, staying at the Surfer’s Paradise Backpackers
Hostel for S$33 a night. “In Australia a burger and fries
can add up to about S$17 — even the Coke in vending
machines are S$4 a bottle!”

North Ame
rica
Bertrand getting a selfie at one of the
most historical landmarks of St. Louis,
the Shrine of St. Joseph

Tip:

“Don’t be afraid to
do things alone (e.g. eating alone). Once you get
past your insecurities
it’s all about the traveling. You’re a tourist,
embrace it.”
Bertrand Tee, 23, WKW

F

or those hesitant to travel alone, you don’t have
to make big plans for a fulfilling solo trip. Bertrand
Tee only embarked on a three-day trip to St. Louis,
Missouri, while on exchange in the US, when his travel
companion left to visit a friend. Initially anxious, the second-year Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information student soon discovered that going solo was a
lot more fuss-free.
Without travel companions, he could plan his trip
spontaneously. He looked up places to visit only upon arriving, and visited tourist spots like the Gateway Arch and
Forest Park, where he was able to spend as long he liked.
But like many solo travellers, extra effort was needed to
ensure the trip didn’t burn a hole in his pocket.“Having
no one to split the cost of transport and accommodation
was taxing on my wallet,” he said. His solution? Visiting
free attractions, walking for the most part, and sharing
an Airbnb apartment with other travellers. He was able
to spend less than US$ 70 (S$ 98) a day on food and accommodation — not a bad sum for the US of A.

16-17 LIFESTYLE

... PICTURE-PERFECT GRADUATION ...
Employment woes are well on the way — but first, there’s convocation shoots to worry about.
For an unconventional spin on getting the best snaps, Lifestyle writer Kezia Tan checks out five
photo spots right here in NTU.
PHOTOS BY VALERIE LAY

H

eads up final-year students: As graduation draws close, it means your convocation photoshoots are around the corner
as well. While classic shots at Marina Bay Sands are always a safe option, try making your memories at some lesserknown locations — like our very own university. We spoke to three in-house, NTU freelance photographers to get ideas
for alternative photo spots within the school, because where better to commemorate the best years of your life?

HSS Auditorium
“The HSS auditorium is well-lit and would give a
nice sense of depth in photos.”

Joel Koh, 24

Right below the HSS atrium lies a vibrantly coloured auditorium that you might not know about unless you’ve had
lessons there. Own the photo when you pose among the rows
of canary yellow lecture theatre seats, in a wide shot taken
from the bottom of the auditorium.

The Hive
“It’s one of the most prominent representations of
the school. Your picture will say ‘I have graduated
from NTU.’”

Paris Chia, 25

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. And if you’re
tired of the curved, brown walls you see everyday on Instagram, try taking a Beatles-inspired zebra crossing shot, like
Paris once did, on the road outside the Hive instead. Just keep
a look out for cars!

Yunnan Garden
“It’s a good spot because of the nature and lack of
people. The pavilions also give quite a unique look.”
Gary Chia, 23

You’re unlikely to have spent much time here in your actual schooling days, but who’s to say Yunnan Garden has
nothing photo-worthy to offer? Low-hanging tree branches
make for interesting framing, while the Chinese pavilions,
painted in classic dark green and bright red, add a tinge of
the orient — because we’re NTU students, after all.

THE NANYANG

VOL.
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CHRONICLE 09
ADM Locker
“You don’t find these lockers
anywhere else. It has a highschool look, if you like it.”

Located at B1 of the School of
Art, Design and Media, the grey
lockers near the staff room are
probably something you walk past
without a second glance. They may
not grab as much attention as the
school’s well-loved grassy rooftop,
but the symmetrical, rustic lockers offer a high-school vibe, and
a great background for the perfect
shot with your friends.

JOEL KOH
https://tinyurl.com/JoelKohPhoto
Rates*: From $100/h for
minimum of 2h
Odd spot: Tuas Lalang Field
Last year, Joel Koh, 24, found himself on an unexpected
hike in an isolated part of Singapore. The final-year student
from the school of Humanities and Social Sciences spent 20
minutes trekking 1.5km along an empty road in Tuas to get to
the convocation shoot location for his HSS seniors.
Amid the waist-high grass, Joel, who has been shooting
freelance for two years, achieved the out-of-Singapore look he
sought to capture. But he recalled the experience to be unpleasantly prickly. “Wear long pants and covered shoes if you
shoot there,” he said. “And bring a mat for sit-down shots.”

Hall 8-11
cluster walls
“The colours are pleasing
to the eye and give a good
contrast to the graduation
gowns.”

Photography tip: Get a reflector from Carousell for good lighting if you do not have a camera flash.

The red, pink and brown makes
for a homely pop of colour in a
backdrop, and distinguishes the
cluster from the other halls — a
bonus for anyone who has stayed
in Halls 8 to 11 before. And if you
haven’t, the area still has potential
for innovative shots in the nooks
and crannies of the cluster.

He does an average of five convocation shoots around the
island a year, but Gary Chia, 23, got a 00’s throwback when he
ended up in Chung Cheng High School (Main) last year.
On a shoot for a group of Chung Cheng High-turned-NTU
students, he snapped nostalgic shots around the school, from
the main buildings to the school’s renowned Zhongzheng Lake.
His biggest surprise of the day? Realising how photogenic
the school is. “There are opportunities for a lot of different
settings — you can have indoor, outdoor, nature, and buildings
shots.”
Photography Tip: Set the camera to the lowest aperture
setting. It separates the subject from the background so the
former looks better, no matter how bizarre the location.

Parischiaphotography.com
Rates*: From $150/h for the first
2h and $50/h thereafter
Odd spot: People’s Park
Complex, Chinatown
Having done convocation shoots for two years, Paris Chia,
25, hasn’t come across any strange requests just yet. But the
final-year student from the School of Humanities and Social
Sciences is keen on one day shooting blue-robed graduates at
the rooftop of the People’s Park Complex in Chinatown, a place
he describes as a “good mix of heartland and CBD”.
For an even more exclusive outcome, Paris recommends
checking out Taman Jurong’s Diamond Building and Dakota
Crescent — the former for its symmetrical, old-school look, and
the latter for its 1950s architecture, soon to be paved away for
redevelopment.
Photography Tip: Don’t be afraid to go all out and bring props
like balloons, school bears, windmills and umbrellas.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOEL KOH, GARY CHIA AND PARIS CHIA

Opinion
EDITORIAL

NO PLACE FOR ELITISM HERE
An email sent out by the
School of Humanities and Social Sciences got the attention of
mainstream media last month. A
screenshot of the email had gone
viral and raised the ire of undergraduates and netizens alike.
In the email, the school asked
for inspirational stories from
“graduating VIP students from an
important or well-known family,
sons or daughters of politicians,
professors, celebrities etc”, as
well as outstanding undergraduates with multiple job offers,
among others.
An NTU spokesperson defended the email and accepted that
“the highlighted line could have
been better phrased”, but netizens expressed anger over the use
of narrow-minded indicators.
The original Facebook post has
been liked over 500 times and
shared over 750 times.
Sourcing out the most interesting stories is a perfectly normal
thing to do. But blatantly coming
up with a selective list of desired
candidates is always likely to
raise eyebrows — or as it showed,
fingers on the keyboard.
Some questioned the phrasing
of the sentences, and some even
mentioned how it appeared like
an internal memo. If anything,
the brouhaha it caused highlights
the low-key elitism in the system.
Elitism is not new to us. It is

part of the Singaporean psyche,
and such incidents do nothing to
quell these sentiments.
While some brushed off the incident as a marketing fiasco, the
message sent across by the email
might instill potentially harmful
doubts in the heads of the average student whose background
might not have met the standard
of a “good, inspirational story”.
That it has led to such outrage
is, however, an encouraging sign.
It is worth noting that many
NTU students voiced their opinions and considered both sides of
the story, rather than resorting to
blatant criticism.
In an environment that emphasises meritocracy, every individual student should be given an
equal chance to excel.
One does not need to be socially privileged or famous to have a
story to tell.
Indeed, as the NTU statement
stated: “Convocation is a celebration of our students’ achievements and knowledge, and as
always, we will be as inclusive as
possible and portray this by featuring stories of students from all
walks of life.”
Being an institution that opens
its doors to students from all
walks of life is what makes the
University unique and vibrant in
the first place. There should be no
place for elitism here.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE
CHIEF EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

LAYOUT ARTIST

SUB-EDITORS

DAPPER EDITOR
Roy Tan

TEACHING ASSISTANT

PHOTO EDITORS

LAYOUT SUPERVISOR

Nicholas Tan

Justin Kor
Louisa Tang
Sharanya Pillai

NEWS EDITOR
Paige Lim

LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Amanda Chai

OPINION EDITOR
Aiswarya Devi

Sean Loo

Valerie Lay
Zheng Juncen

GRAPHIC EDITOR

Febriliani Tan
Ryan Tan

Yeo Kai Wen

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Toby Tan Xun Yi

Joe Tok
Kenny Wong

BUSINESS MANAGERS

FACULTY ADVISORS

Sheena Wong
Vanessa Tan

A students’ newspaper published by the
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication
and Information (WKWSCI)
Nanyang Technological University
31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718
Tel: 6790 6446

Edson Tandoc
Zakaria Zainal

Unsigned editorials represent
the majority view of the editorial
board of The Chronicle and do not
necessarily reflect the policies or
views of Nanyang Technological
University, its employees, the
students or the Council of the
University.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Signed opinion columns, letters
and editorial cartoons represent
the opinion of the writer or artist
and are not necessarily those of
The Chronicle.

eing judged on my skin colour has always felt inescapable, but racism reared its
ugly head in an especially uncouth
manner for me, when I was searching for a rental apartment last year.
My sister and I scoured through
online listings and made over 20
calls, only to receive curt replies
that went: “Chinese preferred.”
Property agents we spoke to were
unapologetic, instead directing us
to listings by Malays and Indians
only. Of the few Chinese listings
that were open to having us, there
was the strict condition that cooking is not allowed — presumably
based on the stereotype that Indian
food is smelly.
It’s been six years since the uproar over the “curry” saga — when
an immigrant Chinese family took
an Indian family to task for allegedly cooking pungent curries.
I remember being pleasantly surprised that my Chinese peers took
the side of the Indian family, ardently declaring their love of Indian culture.
It’s been six years, and I still find
myself denied rental on the basis of
how my food smells.
On social media, there is no
shortage of anecdotes like mine,
evidence that racism is very much
alive in our multicultural society.
With more minorities speaking up,
there have been a lot more heartening conversations on the topic.
But what troubles me is that like
much of the content on social media, these conversations have limited lifespans.

Some 300 “likes” later, we move
on to the next trending story, without really getting to the root causes
of racial discrimination.
And perhaps more frustratingly,
in the echo chambers of social media, nuance never really goes viral.
Only outrage does.
The result is that much of the
debate over racism has been dominated by the firebrand #ThisIsChinesePrivilege campaign, spearheaded by independent academic
Sangeetha Thanapal.
While lending a sociological
perspective to racism, through the
works of scholars like Bell Hooks,
the campaign also calls for Chinese
people to “shut up and listen”.
This is where I find myself in an
awkward spot: feeling gratified that
racism is receiving social media attention, but uncomfortable with
how alienating — and even downright rude — these debates can be.
While I agree that the voices of
minorities need to be lifted above
the white noise, I’m not sure asking
a whole segment of society to “shut
up” does any good.
Not only does it make the tone
of debate inherently hostile, it also
makes the conversation more “antiChinese” than “anti-racism”.
And then there are instances
when the conversation around racism involves making broad generalisations around race.
In one article for instance, Ms
Thanapal makes a blanket claim
about interracial couples: “Indian
men who date Chinese women
are desperate to assimilate. They

instinctively realise the privilege
of being Chinese, and unable to
access it any other way, aspire to
marry a Chinese woman.”
It is disturbing that in trying to
find a race-based explanation for
everything, we lose sight of simple explanations — like how two
people might actually fall in love,
regardless of race.
The dynamics of interracial marriages is an interesting academic
topic, but for people dealing with
both overt and subtle racism on
an everyday basis, there are more
pressing issues.
We need more conversations on
how race has affected our abilities
to excel in school, to find a job or
in my case, a living space.
And we need to be graceful in
debate — not imposing silence on
the naysayers, but countering hate
speech with better ideas.
Perhaps most importantly, we
need to translate talk into action.
While searching for an apartment, I also discovered that online
property portal 99.co has a special
“all races welcome” category that
promotes property listings without
racial requirements.
The company’s founder, Darius
Cheung, started the initiative after
he faced trouble renting a home
because his wife is Indian.
It is a brave move in an industry
that is unapologetically racist.
I hope that more individuals
and organisations can take a stand
where possible, while we keep raising the standards of how we confront the complex issue of racism.

VOL.
NO.

23

OPINION

THE NANYANG

09 CHRONICLE

drawing block

GRAPHICS BY EUGENE THAM

19

20-21 SPOTLIGHT

GEARED UP

FOR THE RUNWAY

An entire semester of hard work for only 30 seconds on the runway.
Photo Editor Valerie Lay goes backstage to document the creative process behind a fashion showcase by NTU students.

B

eing a fashion designer typically involves working with
fabrics. But students of the
Technology Art in Fashion module, offered by the School of Art,
Design and Media (ADM), were in
for a whole different challenge.
As its name would suggest, the
intensive course required students
to tinker with both fabrics and
nifty gadgets. This involved programming lights, motors and sensors and incorporating them into
dresses made from scratch.
Despite the challenges, all eight
students in the class managed to
take their semester-long project to
the runway.
Their final works of art were
showcased at MANGOSTEEN, a
collaborative fashion show held at
the Singapore Turf Club on April
21. The students also shared the
runway that night with avantgarde fashion designers from
around the world.
Some students modelled their
own dresses while others had fellow students — and even siblings
— strut their creations before the
100-strong audience.
The sophistication of the dresses

immediately captured the attention
of the crowd. Many whipped out
their phones to snap photos of the
students’ hard work.
“It was really fulfilling to see
our designs, made from months
of late nights and hard work being appreciated by people, and I’m
happy that our designs received
overwhelming responses from the
crowd,” said Charlene Chua, one of
the featured student designers.
However, the 19-year-old had
hoped for more airtime.
Each piece was showcased for
only 30 seconds.
“The walk was a mere moment
of fame, and I felt that was too
short given the amount of time and
effort we spent making the garments,” she added.
Melissa Low, 23, a previous student of the module agreed: “From
coming up with inspiration to
sourcing for material to the final
showcase, the entire process takes
a few months. On the day itself,
it can also take up to six hours to
prepare — from hair and makeup to
dressing up for the show. All of this
for that 30 seconds.”
Although the NTU team only took

“On the day itself, it can also take up
to six hours to prepare — from hair
and makeup to dressing up for the
show. All this for that 30 seconds.”
Melissa Low, 23
Second-year ADM Student
to the stage at about 9pm, students
arrived as early as 2pm for makeup
and retouches for their dresses.
One of the students, Iskandar Ruhazat, expressed hopes for more opportunities to display unique works.
“It would be great if Singapore
Fashion Week can have a segment
showcasing wearable technology, (so
that) the team’s efforts can be further
envisioned… to a wider range of audiences,” the 24-year-old said.

THE NANYANG

VOL.
NO.

23

CHRONICLE 09

BOTTOM LEFT: Iskandar Ruhaizat does a final check around the
classroom while others make finishing touches before leaving
for the venue.
TOP MIDDLE: Student model Joan Lee (second from left) assists
Iskandar (in black) in taping his piece, inspired by lotus and bat
flowers, as Rebecca Chong gets her dress ready with the help of
exchange student Esther Ying, minutes before the show.
TOP RIGHT: Melissa Low, a previous student of the Technology
Art in Fashion module, spices up her eye makeup with a pair of
fake lashes.
MIDDLE: Ruohan, an exchange student from the United States,
gets her look done by student makeup artists Vimal Kumar and
Audrey Ng.
BOTTOM: ADM student Jeremy Ng models in a suit designed
by Dinie Solihah Abbas. The design draws from the concept of
endangered pangolins where lights represent ants and broken
mirrors represent pain.

Sports

Trio ready for Everest bid
A postgraduate student
teams up with an alumnus
and a professor to conquer
the world’s highest
mountain

1

2

Sean Loo
Sports Editor

T

he NTU-National Institute of
Singapore (NIE) Everest Team
Singapore is on track to being
the first Singaporean team in eight
years to conquer the world’s highest mountain. The members are
about a month away from starting
to scale the world’s highest peak.
The team consists of Nur Yusrina Ya’akob, an NIE postgraduate
student; Jeremy Tong, an alumnus
from the Sports Science Management (SSM) programme; and Dr
Arjunan Saravana Pillai, a teaching
fellow from NIE.
The trio departed for their expedition on 26 Mar and plan to scale
the 8,848m summit by early June.
The team had reached the Mount
Everest South Base Camp in midApril, according to NTU.
They have been taking part in
acclimatisation climbs up nearby
peaks to get used to the sub-zero
temperatures and high-altitude
conditions they will face in their
attempt on Everest.
On 18 April, the team posted on
their Facebook page that they had
successfully scaled the 6,119m high
Lobuche Peak, 13.6km away from
Mount Everest.
They have since returned to the
base camp, and will set off for their
final ascent later this month.
Second shot
For Yusrina, it will be her second
attempt at conquering Everest.
The 30-year-old was the co-leader of the Aluminaid Team Singapura Everest 2015 team that made
an unsuccessful bid to scale Mount
Everest to commemorate Singapore’s Golden Jubilee that year.
Team Aluminaid was forced
to abandon the climb halfway
through due to the 7.8-magnitude
earthquake that struck Nepal on 25
Apr 2015. The earthquake left more
than 8,800 dead and caused an avalanche at Mount Everest.
However, the incident did not
end Yusrina’s Everest dream.
She later linked up with teammates Mr Tong and Dr Saravana
after learning that they shared her
interest to climb Mount Everest.

3

4

1. The NTU-NIE Everest Singapore team, comprising (from left) Jeremy Tong, Nur Yusrina Ya’akob and Dr Arjunan Saravana Pillai, will bid to scale Mount Everest by early June.
2. The trio (with their local guides in the background) en route to Everest South Base Camp.
3. The trio got a warm welcome from the locals in their quest to scale Mount Everest.
4. By reaching Everest South Base Camp, the NTU-NIE Everest Team Singapore has taken a significant step towards scaling the mountain’s summit.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NTU SINGAPORE

Both Dr Saravana and Mr Tong
are also avid climbers. The former
has climbed several peaks, including India’s 6,400m Mount Kang Yatze II. Mr Tong likewise has scaled
numerous mountains including the
7,134m Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan.
For Mr Tong, the quest to scale
Mount Everest holds special meaning as he looks to raise funds for
the Singapore Cancer Society at the
same time.
The 26-year-old was inspired by
his uncle’s battle with cancer.
He wrote on his blog: “This mission to climb Mount Everest symbolises the will to fight, to not give
up and to ultimately grab all of
life’s wonderful opportunities.”
I hope to represent this fight in
all cancer patients in Singapore by

embarking on this ultimate journey
to the top of the world,” he added.
Extensive preparations
The team had been training for the
mountain of a task since January
last year.
Their
preparations
include
climbing up a 40-storey building
multiple times carrying weighted
backpacks and hiking around Bukit
Timah Nature Reserve.
Despite the trio’s prior experience and extensive training regimen, they are not taking anything
for granted.
In a 23 Mar Straits Times article,
Yusrina said: “You can never be
trained enough for Mount Everest.”
She also noted that inclement
weather could derail their attempt.

The efforts of the team have been
well-received.
Justin Yeo, a first-year student
from the Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information,
felt that the team’s journey was
“incredible”. Yeo similarly has an
interest in trekking and mountain
climbing but had always felt that
climbing Everest would not be
achievable for university students.
“I always thought that normal
university students can never find
the time to train for climbing a
mountain like Mount Everest,” said
the 22-year-old. The Everest Team’s
progress inspired Yeo to dream bigger. “I would want to climb Mount
Everest (now),” he said.
Jack Heng, a third-year SSM student who studied in Dr Arjunan’s

Growth and Motor Development
class two years ago, was also “inspired” by the team’s effort, especially that of Dr Saravana.
Heng told the Chronicle that he
was aware of Dr Saravana’s keenness for sports.
Dr Saravana, 47, was NTU’s
Sportsman of the Year in track and
field for 1995/96, and had also previously represented Singapore in
athletics at the international level.
However, he was impressed that
Dr Saravana was still willing to
take on the challenge of climbing
Mount Everest despite his age.
“I was definitely surprised that at
his age, he is still willing to climb
the highest peaks known to man
and face such harsh conditions,”
said the 24-year-old.

VOL.
NO.

23

SPORTS

THE NANYANG

09 CHRONICLE

Waving to a
greener future

23

TOP FIVE

local sports events
over the holidays
NATIONAL VERTICAL MARATHON
21 MAY

1

This year’s National Vertical Marathon will be held at
South Beach Tower for the first time. Organised by NTU
Sports Club, participants will have to climb 34 storeys
before descending 13 floors to the finish line. There are three
different categories this year: Individual, Team and Relay.

ONE FC — DYNASTY OF HEROES
26 MAY

2

Angela Lee, ONE women’s Atomweight world champion,
will look to defend her title against Brazil’s Istela Nunes at
the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 26 May. Also headlining
the star-studded fight card is ONE’s welterweight world champion Ben Askren. The American, a former Olympic wrestler, will
do battle against undefeated Malaysian Agilan Thani with his title on the line. Local fighters Amir Khan and Tiffany Teo are also
expected to compete in the mixed martial arts event.

RUGBY INTERNATIONAL:
SCOTLAND VS ITALY
The Wave, which adopted the timber construction method, was officially opened by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong (fourth
from left) on 24 April.
PHOTO: SEAN LOO

Officially named The Wave,
the new Sports and Recreation Centre building is
the first large-scale structure in Southeast Asia to
be built using mass-engineered timber.
Sean Loo
Sports Editor

T

he opening of the new ecofriendly Sports and Recreation Centre, named The Wave,
marks a new milestone in Singapore's push to be more productive
in construction, said Minister for
National Development and Second
Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.
Located next to the University's
running track, The Wave is one of
only four developments in Singapore that have adopted the timber
construction method.
Speaking at the facility's official
opening on 24 April, Mr Wong told
students, faculty and members of
the public: “For all of this (Singapore’s) infrastructure, we will end
up simply with a far larger pool of
foreign workers than we can possibly accommodate in Singapore.
“The shortage of workers ends
up becoming a bottleneck and con-

straint on our development."
Mr Wong added: “But if we
were to use similar technologies
like what NTU has done for all our
construction projects, we can potentially carry out billions more in
projects with the same number of
workers today.”
Sustainable technology
The Wave was built by assembling
prefabricated components, which
are pre-made in factories, allowing
for easy assembly.
This not only sped up construction by 33 per cent, but also resulted in 25 per cent reduction in
manpower. It took 14 workers three
weeks to assemble the wavy roof.
The Wave also holds the distinction of being the first large-scale
building in Southeast Asia to be
built completely using mass-engineered timber.
Layers of timber panels are glued
together and later cut to specific
dimensions.
It provides five times better heat
insulation than concrete and is also
strong enough to support the building’s 72-metre roof without internal columns or pillars.
The space saved allows The Wave
to hold 13 badminton courts or
three full-sized basketball courts.
NTU’s upcoming campus residences at Nanyang Crescent will
also be constructed using ecofriendly technology.

New facilities
The Wave is home to activity rooms
for exercise classes and sports
teams usage, training rooms, a
viewing gallery, 980 mechanised
retractable seats and a special cooling system that chills the air as it
enters the hall.
Mohamed Husaini, a third-year
School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences student, hopes that
the new facilities will mean more
opportunities for students to book
basketball and badminton courts.
“The current facilities we have
(located in the old SRC building)
are quite limited and small,” the
26-year-old said.
The Wave will also have a new
weight training gym catered to the
NTU sports teams.
There are, however, no plans to
open the gym to all users for the
time being.
Even more beautiful
During the opening ceremony of
The Wave, NTU President Professor
Bertil Andersson expressed his admiration of the architecture of the
newly constructed building.
Referring to an article by the
Business Insider that ranked NTU
as one of the 15 most beautiful
schools around the world, Prof
Andersson remarked: “With the
opening of the wave, I would say
that the most beautiful has become
even more beautiful.”

10 JUNE

3

The National Stadium will host an international rugby
test for the first time in 19 years when Six Nations rivals
Scotland and Italy square off on 10 June. The match in
Singapore will serve as a warm-up for both the Scots and Italians before they head off to Australia and Fiji respectively for
another set of matches.

FOOTBALL INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY:
SINGAPORE VS ARGENTINA
13 JUNE

4

Two-time World Cup winners Argentina will play with
Singapore in a friendly match at the National Stadium.
In the first ever football match between the two nations, local fans can expect to see five-time Ballon d'Or winner
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) take on the Lions. Other big names
such as Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Angel Di Maria (Paris
St Germain), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus) and Sergio Aguero
(Manchester City) are also expected to feature.

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
25-29 JULY

5

Scheduled to take place at the National Stadium, this
year’s edition will see European football powerhouses
Chelsea FC, FC Bayern and FC Internazionale face off in
a round-robin tournament. The tournament kicks off on 25 July,
with Chelsea taking on Bayern in a rematch of the 2012 Champions League Final, which Chelsea won on penalties. Bayern will
then take on Inter on 27 July — a rematch of the 2010 Champions League Final that Inter won 2-0. The tournament concludes
with Chelsea facing off with Inter on 29 July.